Swimming Pool Blog

Good weather, good company and a refreshing dip in the pool are always going to be the main draws to your backyard but creating a truly warm and inviting atmosphere in your pool area takes a wee-bit extra effort, which pays for itself the minute you see your guests’ faces light up and their body language relax.

It goes without saying that keeping your pool clean and free of debris and at a bearable degree of chlorination are a few of the primary considerations in setting up the perfect pool area, but once you’ve taken care of the basics, it’s time to consider some pool deck feng shui. (yes, there is such a thing….now!)

Organizing the pool area requires balancing the open, negative space with the occupied space taken by solid objects and considering everybody’s comfort level. This is problematic because placing too many items, or the wrong items, around your pool zone can detract from the feeling of expansiveness and freedom that this area is meant to provide! At the same time, having nowhere to sit, recline and lie down to get some sun, or sip a beverage and chat, would reflect poorly on you as a host.

For these reasons you always want to go with the kind of patio furniture and pool furniture that has slotted surfaces. This gives your pool area items a certain transparency and breeziness that solid items just can’t reproduce.

OK… at this point you may be thinking that we’re over-thinking this whole pool furniture business, but think back for a moment, if you will, to a time when you entered a space and immediately felt cramped, uneasy, claustrophobic, or had any kind of intuitive reaction to the space, even though you may not have been able to immediately identify what, exactly, gave you that feeling. This happens because our subconscious mind evaluates our surroundings so quickly and accurately, that our conscious minds either notice after the fact or don’t notice at all!

It’s no wonder, then, that the ancient Chinese system of balancing the energies within a space, Feng Shui, dates back over 3,500 years! Our reactions to our environment can be truly stark and visceral and have helped us survive as a species. So, with just a little foresight and consideration, you can almost guarantee that your family and guests will feel incredibly at ease in your pool area, though they may have no clue why. Yet they will know one thing: they’ll want to return as much as possible!

Getting down to the nitty gritty, we all know that people love options, so it’s good to have a few different kinds of furniture around your deck. An obvious choice is a set of adjustable reclining chairs so that you can lie down, take a nap or lazily work on your tan. You’ll also want some non-reclining chairs and benches with different-sized tables and fold-out umbrellas, which makes the space great for reading, playing chess or cards or having a nice meal.

Most of all, creating the perfect pool area begins and ends with your hospitality and good vibes and while you can’t buy those, you can certainly feng shui your mood a little to make sure that the energy and fun times flow freely in your backyard.

Here's some actual tips from Feng Shui masters on the difficult task of integrating a pool into your house - in the most auspicious way. Done correctly, a swimming pool can add beneficial energies to the overall environment. Done wrong, and your spouse may cheat, your house may burn down or who knows (?) what calamity may befall you! ;-)

Location: In relation to the house, the pool should not be located to the south of the house.